Snapshot · The Bulwark Podcast
A Gallup poll found that only 53% of Americans can summon any notion of pride in being American on the occasion of the 250th anniversary, with the figure having plummeted since Trump first took the presidency.
Where this was said
At 48:08 · chapter starts 46:00
The conversation turns to the America 250 celebration — what Tim Miller describes as 'a MAGA rally' scheduled in 104-to-107-degree heat on the National Mall with no chairs and possibly no water [1] — Susan Glasser "Only 53% of Americans proud to be American: A Gallup poll found that only 53% of Americans can summon any notion of pride in being American…" 48:08 . Susan Glasser predicts low attendance and a pre-written Trump Truth Social crowd-size grievance to follow. She then lands on the most emotionally resonant note of the episode: a Gallup poll found only 53% of Americans feel any sense of pride in being American as the country marks its 250th. Drawing on the Pottersville metaphor from It's a Wonderful Life, she describes Trump's America as the inversion of the American dream — the caricature of every value the country claims to hold. Yet she closes on a note of cautious hope: if someone can change the meaning of America's history as radically as Trump has, then someone else can change it back. It's never too late to show up for the ideals you claim.
A Gallup poll found only 53% of Americans can summon any sense of pride in being American as the country turns 250. Susan Glasser connects this to the inversion of the American dream under Trump — the Pottersville president — but argues giving in is not the answer.
Greenberg's research mapped all human intrinsic values and found they cluster into 22 categories, including longevity, connection, nature, and spirituality.
Performing composure is not the same as having composure — emotionally sensitive people who suppress their feelings are acting a role, not resolving the underlying feeling.
Emotional sensitivity is the raw input signal and emotional intelligence is the cultivated output — meaning sensitivity is a prerequisite for high EQ, not an obstacle to it.
Men who appear emotionally avoidant are frequently emotionally sensitive individuals who were never given tools or permission to explore their sensitivity, so they default to withdrawal.
Being ghosted is particularly damaging for sensitive people because their brain doesn't interpret it as the relationship ending — it interprets it as evidence of personal insufficiency.
Kierkegaard's concept of anxiety as 'the dizziness of freedom' predates Freud's psychological framework by roughly 60 years, yet modern research has since validated his core claims about commitment and identity.
Between 2003 and 2020, Americans accumulated roughly 24 extra hours per month spent alone — the equivalent of a part-time job's worth of isolation, and that's before the pandemic.
Median age at first marriage climbed from 21 (women) and 23 (men) in the 1970s to nearly 29 (women) and 30 (men) today — a rise of 6–8 years per gender, extending the 'emerging adulthood' liminal phase.
San Francisco's average rent rose 18% over the past two years to $3,728/month, surpassing New York City as the most expensive rental market in the country.
We use essential and analytics cookies to run Vuci. To understand how the site is used: Privacy Policy.
Install Vuci on your phone
Add it to your home screen for a faster, app-like experience.
Install Vuci on your phone
Tap the Share button, then “Add to Home Screen”.
A new version is available
Reload to get the latest Vuci.